Raiders owner Mark Davis, Jon Bon Jovi meet in downtown Las Vegas
It was a medical board meeting like any other, except that an NFL owner was seated at the table and his team’s logo was splashed all over the room.
Oh, and Jon Bon Jovi showed up, unannounced.
Raiders owner Mark Davis was formally named to the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health’s Board of Directors on Thursday afternoon at Keep Memory Alive Event Center. The multipurpose venue was decked out in the famous Raiders crest — even the cocktail napkins were in Raider silver and black.
At the end of the session, during which all variety of Ruvo Center business was discussed, Bon Jovi walked in to absolutely no fanfare.
“Well, I’m here,” he said as he casually strode toward the group. “Put me to work.”
Bon Jovi was asked by founder Larry Ruvo and his longtime sidekick, Mike Severino, to help welcome Davis to the Ruvo Center board. Ruvo had already announced during the March 16 Power of Love gala at MGM Grand Garden Arena that Davis would join the Center.
The @BonJovi @JesseBND moment @ClevelandClinic @LouRuvoCenter @KMAEventCenter, after today’s board meeting, to welcome @Raiders owner #MarkDavis to the clinic’s Board of Directors. Jon and Jesse are in town for @hamptonwater_ business. pic.twitter.com/efzb2BZq4H
— John Katsilometes (@johnnykats) May 9, 2019
Thursday made it official. Bon Jovi made it special. It made sense that he would help mark them moment, as rock Rock and Roll Hall of Famer has long supported the Center and has performed at Power of Love.
The Rock and Roll Hall of Famer and his son, Jesse Bongiovi, also have forged an important business partnership with Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits, where Ruvo serves as vice president. The father-son team launched Hampton Water at an event in March 2018. Southern Glazer’s is among the wine’s distributors.
Davis, for his part, is distributing the NFL to Las Vegas, and thanked Ruvo and Bon Jovi for the warm welcome.
“I’m still learning about everything they do here, but I love the passion,” Davis said. He also reminded the assembled officials that former Cleveland Clinic President and CEO Dr. Toby Cosgrove performed heart surgery on Davis’s father, Al Davis, in the mid-1990s.
Again, Ruvo and the Cleveland Clinic are at the wheel of everything relevant in Las Vegas.
Bon Jovi and his son posed for a few photos, then he said, “I have to leave now to kiss the ring of Mr. Lee.” That’s Hae Un Lee, founder of Lee’s Discount Liquor, a Las Vegas success story who famous for the company’s wacky/effective ad campaign He’s something of a rock star, too.
Angel at the center
Planet Hollywood headliner Criss Angel and his family formally unveiled the new “Mindfreak”-themed treatment room at the Cure 4 The Kids Foundation center at 1 Breakthrough Way in Summerlin on Thursday afternoon.
Angel and Shaunyl Benson’s boys Johnny Crisstopher (age 5) and Xristos Yanni (3 months). Las Vegas artist Juan Muniz painted the room, and Criss and the boys (with some help) pressed their hand prints onto the walls.
Scenes from @CrissAngel-themed room unveiling @Cure4thekids Summerlin center. pic.twitter.com/SoF93ixycy
— John Katsilometes (@johnnykats) May 9, 2019
Muniz also designed the Gwen Stefani-themed treatment at Cure 4 The Kids, next door to the new “Mindfreak” space.
Angel’s passion for supporting pediatric cancer treatment is fueled by Johnny Crisstopher’s fight against a rare form of leukemia. The little boy ended his chemotherapy treatments in December.
“This is our mission,” Angel said to a group of children who are undergoing treatment, clinic officials and assorted media members ” I feel I’ve been blessed with my success to be a voice for the children who don’t have a voice.”
Angel has been developing a documentary chronicling his family’s odyssey through Johnny’s treatment. “He’s the bravest hero that I’ve ever met, much braver than myself or Shaunyl.”
Newman Biden time
Lady Gaga’s longtime bandleader, trumpet wizard Brian Newman, was enlisted to play former Vice President Joe Biden’s fundraising VIP party at NoMad Hotel at Park MGM on Tuesday night.
Newman and his Gaga lineup were the night’s entertainment, and had the joint jumpin’, as the hepcats say. Newman is back for “Jazz + Piano” on June 2. For a night, the Biden-Newman ticket looked like a winner.
John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. His PodKats podcast can be found at reviewjournal.com/podcasts. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on Twitter, @JohnnyKats1on Instagram.
